Voters may decide marijuana use

November 28, 2006

LANSING (AP) -- Michigan residents could legally use marijuana on private property for recreational or medical purposes under a measure proposed for the 2008 statewide ballot. The Board of State Canvassers on Monday approved the form of a legislative petition proposed by Medical and Recreational Peace, an Eaton Rapids-based group backing the proposal. The measure would make it legal for those 18 and older to use marijuana on private property. Those found using the drug in public would be guilty of a civil infraction punishable by a $50 fine. The measure also would allow people to grow marijuana at their residences. Medical and Recreational Peace must gather about 304,000 valid petition signatures over a six-month period to get on the November 2008 ballot. Proponents of legalizing marijuana for those age 21 and older began circulating petitions last year for the 2006 ballot but did not collect enough signatures. Similar efforts also failed in 2000 and 2002. Also Monday, the elections board certified the results of the Nov. 7 election and rejected a request from residents in Allegan and Washtenaw counties to recount votes on behalf of Green Party candidate Lynn Meadows in the secretary of state election. Michael-David BenDor, a precinct chair in Washtenaw County's Pittsfield Township, said optical-scan ballot tabulators were altered by technicians in the summer as part of an update, and there's no way of knowing whether the November votes were counted accurately. He cited an HBO documentary that claims voting machines can be tampered with to manipulate results. But elections director Chris Thomas dismissed "conspiracy theories" and said equipment was tested for accuracy before the election.